mature

[muh-too r, -tyoo r, -choo r, -chur] /məˈtʊər, -ˈtyʊər, -ˈtʃʊər, -ˈtʃɜr/
adjective, maturer, maturest.
1.
complete in natural growth or development, as plant and animal forms:
a mature rose bush.
2.
ripe, as fruit, or fully aged, as cheese or wine.
3.
fully developed in body or mind, as a person:
a mature woman.
4.
pertaining to or characteristic of full development:
a mature appearance; fruit with a mature softness.
5.
completed, perfected, or elaborated in full by the mind:
mature plans.
6.
(of an industry, technology, market, etc.) no longer developing or expanding; having little or no potential for further growth or expansion; exhausted or saturated.
7.
intended for or restricted to adults, especially by reason of explicit sexual content or the inclusion of violence or obscene language:
mature movies.
8.
composed of adults, considered as being less susceptible than minors to explicit sexual content, violence, or obscene language, as of a film or stage performance:
for mature audiences only.
9.
Finance. having reached the limit of its time; having become payable or due:
a mature bond.
10.
Medicine/Medical.
  1. having attained definitive form or function, as by maturation of an epithelium from a basal layer.
  2. having attained the end stage of a normal or abnormal biological process:
    a mature boil.
11.
Geology. (of a landscape) exhibiting the stage of maximum topographical diversity, as in the cycle of erosion of a land surface.
verb (used with object), matured, maturing.
12.
to make mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.
13.
to bring to full development:
His hard experiences in the city matured him.
14.
to complete or perfect.
verb (used without object), matured, maturing.
15.
to become mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.
16.
to come to full development:
Our plans have not yet matured.
17.
Finance. to become due, as a note.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English < Latin mātūrus ripe, timely, early; akin to manes, matutinal
Related forms
maturely, adverb
maturement, noun
matureness, noun
maturer, noun
half-matured, adjective
nonmature, adjective
nonmaturely, adverb
nonmatureness, noun
overmature, adjective
overmaturely, adverb
overmatureness, noun
self-matured, adjective
semimature, adjective
semimaturely, adverb
semimatureness, noun
unmature, adjective
unmaturely, adverb
unmatured, adjective
unmaturing, adjective
well-matured, adjective
Synonyms
1, 3. aged, grown, adult. 2. See ripe. 5. ready, prepared. 12, 15. age, develop.
Antonyms
1, 3. childish, raw, green, young.
Examples from the web for mature
  • When fully mature, the fruit has bright orangish yellow skin and juice.
  • Some females had not yet reached fully mature body size when they started laying eggs.
  • It is difficult to come to grips with a mature, intelligent, adult novel.
  • The disease is especially dangerous for newborns, whose immune systems are still not fully mature.
  • For example, certain amphibians retain fishlike gills even when fully mature and past their water-inhabiting period.
  • We know from experience that they will return home wiser and more mature.
  • They are often in mature industries that are about to fall into decline.
  • As larvae mature, they drop to the soil to pupate.
  • The technique essentially reverts mature cells to an embryo-like state.
  • In my observation, younger guys grow beards to look older and more mature.
British Dictionary definitions for mature

mature

/məˈtjʊə; -ˈtʃʊə/
adjective
1.
relatively advanced physically, mentally, emotionally, etc; grown-up
2.
(of plans, theories, etc) fully considered; perfected
3.
due or payable: a mature debenture
4.
(biology)
  1. fully developed or differentiated: a mature cell
  2. fully grown; adult: a mature animal
5.
(of fruit, wine, cheese, etc) ripe or fully aged
6.
(of a river valley or land surface) in the middle stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by meanders, maximum relief, etc See also youthful (sense 4), old (sense 18)
verb
7.
to make or become mature
8.
(intransitive) (of notes, bonds, etc) to become due for payment or repayment
Derived Forms
maturely, adverb
matureness, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Latin mātūrus early, developed
Word Origin and History for mature
v.

late 14c., "encourage suppuration;" mid-15c. "bring to maturity," from Latin maturare "to ripen, bring to maturity," from maturus "ripe, timely, early," related to manus "good" and mane "early, of the morning," from PIE root *ma- "good," with derivatives meaning "occurring at a good moment, timely, seasonable, early." Meaning "come or bring to maturity" is from 1620s. The financial sense of "reach the time for payment" is from 1861. Related: Matured; maturing.

adj.

mid-15c., "ripe," also "careful, well-considered," from Latin maturus "ripe, timely, early" (see mature (v.)).

mature in Medicine

mature ma·ture (mə-tyur', -tur', -chur')
adj.

  1. Having reached full natural growth or development.

  2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of full mental or physical development.

v. ma·tured, ma·tur·ing, ma·tures
To evolve toward or reach full development.